Time-stamp.



UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

ARTHUR E. COLGATE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO THE SIGNAL AND CONTROL COMPANY, OF THE BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN, NEWV YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF WVEST VIRGINIA.

TIME-STAMP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 688,391, dated December 10, 1901. Application filed October 28, 189 '7. erial No. 656,628. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ARTHUR E. COLGATE, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York city, in the county and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Time-Stamps, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to time stamps in which an impression-dial or equivalent device is driven by a clock-movement, so that the impression-dial will indicate the time of day; and the object of my invention is to produce an improved time-stamp which will be especially adapted for use with an automatic signal-recording apparatus-such, for instance,

as shown in Letters Patent No. 579,221, issued March 23,1897.

In the accompanying drawings, which illus trate my invention, Figure l is a front eleva tion and partial vertical section; Fig. 2, a side elevation and partial vertical section; Fig. 3, a front elevation with the cover and time-indicating dial removed; Fig. 4,a top plan view with the platen and its casing removed to show the impressiomdial; Fig. 5, a horizontal cross-section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1, showing the time-indicating dial, a portion of the driving-gear, and the setting device; Fig. 6, a vertical section on the line 7 7 of 0 Fig. 1; Fig. 7, a rear elevation of the setting device, and Fig. 8 a vertical section of the impression-dial and connected parts.

Referring to the drawings, A is the casing for the clock-movement, dating device, 850., 5 B the front cover, provided with a glass-covered opening for the time-indicating dial, and A the casing for the platen O. The clockmovement is carried between two plates at, Fig. 3, secured to the rear wall of the casing 0 A. The winding-stem d is provided with a gear-wheel D, meshing with a gear-wheel D on the winding-rod d, which projects through a hole in the cover Band which forms a bearing for the rod. The inner end of rod (Zisjour-.

1 to 60 for the minutes. This disk is rotatable and has an arrow or pointer 6, Fig. 1, which serves as the hour-hand or indi cator.

E is the minute-hand, which rotates in the same direction as disk E, but at a greater speed. The minute-handle mounted on an arbor F, driven by the clock-movement, as usual. Disk E is geared to arbor F through pinion c on arbor F, which meshes with gearwheel 6 carrying a pinion 6 which meshes with gear-wheel e, mounted on the sleeve which carries the disk, the minute-hand E and disk E being geared twenty-five to one. The even hour is indicated when pointer e and minute-hand E are in exact alinement 6 that is to say, for instance, when both point at 12 it will be twelve oclock, and the pointer e and hand E will not be in alinement again until they reach l3,and so on. Thus it will be seen that while disk E makes one twenty-fourth of a revolution the minute-hand will make one and one twentyfourth revolutions. In Fig. l the time indicated is five minutes past sixteen, or 4.05 p. 1n.

- Ihave found in practice that in time-stamps the clock-movement drops a fraction of a second whenever the time-stamp is operated, and it therefore becomes desirable to provide a device for readily resetting the clock at a certain hour each day. Furthermore, since my improved time-stamp is designed mainly for use with signal-recorde1's-such, forinstance, as blast-recorders for steamship-whistles-it is very important that the construction of the time-stamp be such that it cannot be tampered with, and for this reason the resetting device is arranged so that it can be operated only at a certain hour of the daysay twelve oclock noon-and then only sufficient to reset for the time lost during the past twentyfour hours, which would be not more than a few minutes. This device consists of the arm G, carried by a spindle G, passing through a central bearing in the glass cover. This spindle is provided with a knob G, by means of which the spindle and arm G are moved inward to bring the lug g on the arm in the path of the lug g on the minute-hand to move it forward. A spiral spring g is placed between the knob G and the metal bushing through which the spindle passes to force the knob outward and hold the lug g out of the path of lug g. The arm G is provided withapin g which just clears the minute-hand and which will strike the disk E and prevent sufficient inward movement of arm G to bring lugs g and g into engagement except when slot g in disk E is in proper position under the pin which will occur about three minutes of twelve. The lateral movement of arm G is limited by a pin 9 projecting from the bushing into a notch g in the hub of arm G. To reset the clock, arm G is first moved to the right by means of knob G so that lugg will stand to the right of lug g on the minutehand. The knobisthen pushed inward, when pin will enter slot 9 and lug g will be in the path of log g. The knob is then turned to swing arm G toward the left, and the minute-hand is moved forward through the engagement of lugs g and g until it is directly over the pointer e or pointing at 12. Knob G isthen released and the spring 9 will force it and arm G outward, carrying lug g out of the path of lug g and pin g out of slot g. To prevent the minute hand from being moved backward by the resetting device, I may provide a ratchet connection between knob G and the spindle of arm G, so that the minute-hand can be moved only in a forward direction.

The impression-dial comprises a head or disk H, having a minute-hand or arrow it formed thereon. This disk is seated within a recessed head I. The upper rim of this head is graduated into minutes and corresponds to disk E of the time-indicating dial, and e' is the hour-hand or pointer, which corresponds to the hour-hand or pointer 9. Head I is seated in the recessed top plate of the easing, as shown in Fig. 8, and the top plate is graduated into hours, as shown at J, to correspond to the graduations 011 the stationary face-plate E of the ti rue-indicating dial. The graduations, figures, and hour and minute hands or pointers of the impression-dial are cut or otherwise formed in relief,and the heads H and I are adjusted so that the face of the graduations, figures, and pointers will be fi ush with the graduations and figures J. As shown in Fig. 8, heads II and I are provided with ball-bearings to reduce friction, and which bearings also receive the thrust'when the impression-pad is forced against the impressiondial, and hence the clock mechanism is not subjected to strain.

Head H is mounted upon the upper end of a vertical arbor H, which has a bearing in bracket a. This arbor is provided with abeveled pinion f, which meshes with the beveled pinion fon the arbor F, and whereby the head l-I, having the minute-hand or pointer, is driven at the same speed as the minutehand E Arbor F is sleeved on the minuteshown in Figs. 3 and S.

arbor of the clock-movement with sufllcient friction to insure rotation without slipping.

Head I is mounted upon the upper end of sleeve 1 on arbor H. This sleeve rests on a pinion Z, keyed to arbor H. Sleeve 1 is rotated through pinion Z, which meshes with the gear-wheel L, and the pinion Z, which meshes with the gear L, keyed to the sleeve. Pinion Z and gear-wheel L are carried by a spindle Z which is stopped on the screw Z in bracket a. PinionsZ and Z and gears L and L are of the same diameter and have the same number of teeth as pinions c and c and gears e and 6 respectively, so that the rate of rotation of disk E and head I will be uniform. Sleeve 1 has also keyed to it a cam M, which engages with the beveled studm on the operating-lever M of the consecutive-numbering device N, having a series of wheels N, which extend into an opening in the top plate in position to be struck by platen C to make an impression on the paper tape or other recording-surface S to indicate the day of the year. Sleeve .1 makes one revolution in twentyfou r hours, and hence cam M operates the numbering device once in twenty-four hours to advance the same one unit each day. The cam is adjusted so that the advancement takes place at midnight. To slightly retard the upward stroke of lever M, which is the actuating stroke of the numbering-ma chine, I provide the cylinder 0, having a piston connected to lever M by a link m. The engagement of cam M with the stud of lever M causes an end thrust of sleeve 1, and to prevent this thrust from throwing head I out of position and to reduce friction and cramping I provide a ball thrust-bearing, as Gear-wheel L for this purpose is provided with flanges forming a raceway for the balls, and the gear-wheel L and cam M are adjusted on the sleeve 1 so that the balls will work against the under side of the top plate of the casing.

The impression on the paper strip may be made by employing a soft platen and emboss ing the paper; but I prefer to employ an inked ribbon It, which is placed over the impression-dial and attached to feed-rolls It. The paper strip is passed between the platen and the ribbon, and the impression is made 011 the under side of the strip.

In practice, and particularly when the timestamp is employed with blast-recorders, it sometimes happens that the platen when driven against the impression-dial is held there for a short interval. This would happen when the whistle gives a long blast. This is objectionable, because when the platen is held firmly upon the impression-dial the clockmovement is retarded, and hence the clock will drop several minutes in a day over what would be ordinarily dropped by the usual quick blow of the platen, and, furthermore, the record on the paper strip is liable to be blurred. To avoid this, I provide the platen C IOC:

with an operating-lever O and a toggle-lever connection 0 WVhen in operative position, lever O is in a horizontal position, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. Upon the operation of the blast-recorder, lever C is pulled downward, moving platen O downward until the toggle is on its dead-center, at which position the platen is forced into contact with the impression-dial and the record is made onthestrip. Thecontinued downwardmovement of lever C will carry the toggle over the dead-center and elevate the platen to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2. Thus it will be seen that the platen produces an impression and moves away from the impression-dial before the operating-lever G receives its full stroke and that it will make no difference how long the lever is held down. In returning to its normal position (the dotted-line position) the platen by reason of the toggle-lever is again moved down upon the impression-dial and raised immediately, thus insuring a good impression, it being understood that the paper is fed forward before each first impression and held stationary during the return stroke of lever C.

What I claim is 1. In a time-stamp, the combination with a clock-movement, of an impression-dial and a cooperating platen for producing an impression upon a recording-surface, said impression-dial comprising a stationary dial graduated for hours, a rotating dial graduated for minutes and provided with a pointer representing the hour-hand, and a rotating disk provided with a pointer representing the minute-hand, and a driving connection between the clock-movement and the moving elements of theimpression-dial, substantially as set forth.

2. In a time-stamp, the combination with a clock-movement, of a time-indicatin g dial, an impression-dial and a cooperating platen for producing an impression upon a recordingsurfaoe, said impression-dial comprising a stationary dial graduated for hours, a rotating dial graduated for minutes and provided with a pointer representing the hour-hand, and a rotating disk provided with a pointer representing the minute-hand, and a driving connection between the clock-movement and the moving elements of the impression-dial, substantially as set forth.

3. In a time-stamp, the combination with. a clock-movement, of an impression-dial and a cooperating platen for producing an impression upon a recording-surface, said impression-dial comprising a stationary dial graduated for hours, a rotating dial graduated for minutes and provided with a pointer representing the hour-hand, and a rotating disk provided with a pointer representing the minute-hand, a driving connection between the clock-movement and the moving elements of the impression-dial, a consecutivenumbering device, and a driving connection between said device and the clock-movement,

whereby said device is automatically operated once in twenty-four hours to indicate the day of the year, substantially as set forth.

at. In a timestamp, the combination with a clock-movement, of an impression-dial and a cooperating platen for producing an impression upon a recording-surface, said impression-dial comprising a stationary dial graduated for hours, a rotating dial graduated for minutes and provided with a pointer representing the hour-hand, and a rotating disk provided with a pointer representing the minute-hand, a driving connection between the clock movement and the moving elements of the impression-dial, a consecutivenumbering device, a driving connection between said device and the clock-movement, whereby said device is automatically operated once in twenty-four hours to indicate the day of the year, and a retarding device for retarding the movement of the operating lever of the numbering device in one direction, substantially as set forth.

5. In a timestamp, the combination with a clock-movement, of an impression-dial and a cooperating platen for producing an impres sion upon a recording-surface, said impression-dial comprising a stationary dial graduated for hours, a rotating dial graduated for minutes and provided with a pointer repre senting the hour-hand, and a rotating disk provided with a pointer representing the minute-hand, a driving connection between the clock-movement and the moving elements of the impression-dial, a consecutive-numbering device, and a cam rotated by the arbor of the minute-dial of the impression-dial, said cam operating said numbering device once in twenty-four hours to indicate the day of the year, substantially as set forth.

6. In a time-stamp, the combination with a clock-movement, of a time-indicating dial and an impression-dial and cooperating platen for producing an impression on arecording-surface, a driving connection between the clockmovement and the impression-dial, means for resetting the minute-hand of the time-indicat ing dial, and means controlled by said clock movement whereby the resetting of the minute-hand can be performed only at given periods, substantially as set forth.

7. In a time-stamp, the combination with a clock-movement, of a time-indicating dial and an impression-dial and cooperating platen for producing an impression on a recording-surface, a driving connection between the clockmovement and the impression-dial, and a device for setting the time-indicating dial, said device comprising an arm G normally held out of operative relation to the minute-hand of the indicating-dial, and means for permitting said arm to be brought into operative relation at a predetermined point to permit engagement with the minute-hand to reset the same, substantially as set forth.

8. In a timestamp, the combination with a clock-movement, of an impression-dial, a co operating platen for producing an impression upon a recording-surface, and an operatinglever having a toggle-lever connection with said platen for operating the same, said toggle-lever passing through the dead-center with each up-and-down stroke, whereby the duration of the period of engagement between the platen and recording-surface will be inde pendent of the duration of either stroke, substantially as set forth.

9. In a clock, the combination with the movement, of a dial having a series of nu inhers arranged in a circle to represent hours, 

